Cap bill cover and attachment mount m&amp;a

ABSTRACT

Accordingly, a removable and chambered cap bill cover is disclosed. One embodiment comprises a cap bill cover having at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the at least one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the cap bill cover and a cap bill, and clips to attach the cap bill cover to removably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill. Another embodiment comprises a cap bill cover having at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the at least one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the cap bill cover and a cap bill, and tabs to attach the cap bill cover to removably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/249,217 entitled “CAP BILL COVER AND ATTACHMENT MOUNT M&A,” filedOct. 6, 2009, which application is hereby incorporated by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

a) Field of the Invention

The present invention has to do with a cap bill cover and in particulara cap bill cover including attachment mount to hold objects wherein thecap bill cover and attachment mount may be connected with the cap withlimited modifications.

b) Background Art

Examples of hats or caps that have attachment mounts or bill coversinclude U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,410,761, 5,860,167 and 7,140,047. U.S. Pat No.5,410,761 shows a cap having a visor with diverse pictorial displaysplaced on an insert that is located on the top surface of the hat visor.In this arrangement, the insert is protected by a plastic envelopefastened to the visor with a strip of hook and loop material. Onedrawback of this approach is that by utilizing hook and loop fasteners,a corresponding hook or loop fastener will have to be fixed to a capvisor before the insert can be connected. This can be a particularproblem if the insert is configured to hold any not pictorial elements,such as attachments with any mass. Unfortunately, this may requireadditional hook and loop fasteners, therefore increasing the amount ofpre-fixing corresponding fasteners to the cap visor while alsoincreasing the difficulty of quickly attaching and detaching the visorto access any attachments connected to the insert.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,167 shows a hat including a cylindrical sleevereceptacle composed in part of a stretch fabric and sewn to a hat forsecurely holding an article regardless of the orientation of the hat.One drawback of this approach is that sewing a holding receptacle to ahat involves a relatively permanent connection to the hat.Unfortunately, this results in a specialized use hat that may not beused in its original fashion due to the relatively permanent connectionsof the receptacles. Furthermore, by having relatively permanentreceptacles sewn to the hat, if these receptacles are near the bill ofthe hat then this may make it more difficult to attach a cover to thebill of the hat as the receptacles are not readily re-adjustable.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,047 shows a combination of a hat, an accessory, anda plurality of discrete elements. In this combination, the accessory andplurality of discrete elements are magnetically attracted to each otherthrough a first layer of the hat to connect the accessory to the hat. Inthis combination, the discrete elements include a plurality of magneticcomponents attached within the brim of a hat, onto which other metalliccomponents, such as a pencil, a divot-fixing device, a ball-markingdevice, or a golf tee may be attached. While this approach utilizesmagnets that allow detachment and attachment of one or more accessories,unfortunately this approach is not removably attached as it involvesreconfiguring a hat to house the magnets. Alternately, if the hat is notreconfigured to house the magnets then an additional step of connectingmagnets through the material of the hat is required to connectaccessories.

While the aforesaid patents show various designs for caps and hats, noneof them shows the unique design of designs disclosed herein.Furthermore, the design proposed herein has greater versatility, in thatit permits quick detachment and attachment of a bill cover to allowaccess attachments connected thereto.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, a removable and chambered cap bill cover is disclosed. Oneembodiment comprises a cap bill cover having at least one chamber forstoring accessories, wherein the at least one chamber is shaped tocontain a specific object between the cap bill cover and a cap bill, andclips to attach the cap bill cover to removably attach the cap billcover to a cap bill. Another embodiment comprises a cap bill coverhaving at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the atleast one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the capbill cover and a cap bill, and tabs to attach the cap bill cover toremovably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill.

This Summary is provided to introduce concepts in a simplified form thatare further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary isnot intended to identify key features or essential features of theclaimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scopeof the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matteris not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantagesnoted in any part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view that illustrates a first embodiment capbill cover and attachment mounting locations.

FIGS. 2A-2B are front views that illustrate a second embodiment for aremovably connected cover having plastic clips for a cap bill.

FIGS. 3A-3B are front views that illustrate a third embodiment for aremovably connected cover having tabs for a cap bill.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments disclosed herein generally describe a removably attachablecap bill cover that may include one or more chambers for storingaccessories or other objects, as well as various approaches and methodsto attach the cap bill cover to the bill of a cap or hat.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view that illustrates a first embodiment capbill cover 20 and one or more mounting locations such as integratedclips 22, 24 and 26. As shown in FIG. 1, one embodiment cap bill cover20 may be a plastic material that is transparent. However, cap billcover 20 may be made of other suitable material than plastic and may beopaque, colored, multi-colored, textured, etc., or may have permanent orreplaceable images imprinted or embossed in the cover 20. In someembodiments, the mounting locations may fold under a perimeter region ofa bill for cap or hat. For example, mounting locations may be frictionalengagement portions, such as clips or tabs, that may removably fastencover 20 to a cap bill.

In some embodiments, a cover 20 may be connected to a cap by sliding thecover 20 over a bill of the cap until a frictional engagement portionsecurely removably attaches the cover to the bill of the cap.

The first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a cover 20 withintegrated clips that attach the cover 20 to a cap bill. Integratedclips 22, 24 and 26 may be part of a monolithic structure with cover 20.A second embodiment utilizing separate clips is described with referenceto FIG. 2, and a third embodiment with tabs is described with referenceto FIG. 3 as described herein below. Other embodiments may utilizesuitable frictional engagement portions or other removably attachableconnections.

Referring to FIG. 1, integrated clips 22, 24 and 26 may be configured tocertain shaped bills, such as a standard golf hat, baseball hat, etc.For example, the orientation of the integrated clips, the clip fasteningthickness, the fastening strength of the integrated clip, etc. may bedetermined prior to manufacture to allow a readily removable cover for arange of caps or bills without adjustment or further modification to thehat or bill. Additionally, the cover 20 may be formed with one or morechambers 28 and 30.

In some embodiments, chambers may have an inner surface that isparticularly shaped for specific objects, such as a ball marking tool ora divot repairing tool for a golf hat, a business card holder, a musicplayer, a communication device, as non-limiting examples. In someembodiments the inner surface or shape of the chambers may be configuredto generally house a range of accessories. In this way, accessories maybe interposed between the inner surface of the chamber 28 as an example,and the upper surface of the bill of a cap or hat.

In some embodiments the cover 20 may have multiple parts and a removablyattachable portion of the cover 20 may open one or more of the chambers28 or 30 at the edge of the removably attachable portion for easieraccess to the chambers.

FIGS. 2A-2B are front views that illustrate a second embodiment for aremovably connected cover having plastic clips for a cap bill. Asillustrated in FIGS. 2A-2B, the second embodiment includes a cover 20and separate removably connectable plastic clips 42, 44 and 46.Reference numerals 80 and 90 show a top plan view and a side view of oneexample removable plastic clip. In this embodiment the clips are made ofplastic, but other suitable materials such as metal, wood, etc. may beused while still allowing the cover to be removably attached to a capbill. With reference to FIG. 2B, plastic clips 42, 44 and 46 are shownfastenably engaging the cover 20 to the cap bill.

In other embodiments, similar structures and materials as were describedwith reference to FIG. 1 may be utilized in the embodiment illustratedin FIG. 2. In this way, a cover 20 may be connected to a cap by slidingthe cover 20 over a bill of the cap until the plastic clips 42, 44and/or 46 frictionally engage the cover to the bill of the cap.

FIGS. 3A-3B are front views that illustrate a third embodiment for aremovably connected cover having tabs for a cap bill. As illustrated,the third embodiment includes a cover 20 and one or more tabs 62 thatmay be connected to a cap such that the cap bill cover 20 is adjacent toand covering the cap bill. For example, in FIG. 3B a band 68 is shownwrapped at least partially around the cap so as to removably attach thecover 20 to the cap bill by engaging the tabs attached to the cap billcover 20. Furthermore, a label 69 may be affixed to the cap bill cover20 to provide identifying information, to secure the front of the cover20 to the cap bill, to provide a holder for one or more accessories,etc. In this way, a cover 20 may be connected to a cap by sliding thecover 20 over a bill of the cap, placing a band 68 around at least aportion of the cap and the one or more tabs 62, and frictionallyengaging the cover 20 to the bill of the cap. In one form one form itcan be appreciated that the cover 20 can be repositioned in alongitudinally broad manner to disengage the lateral connective portionswhich one form or tabs to provide access to the inner chambers of thecover or table of paraphernalia contained therein.

While the present invention is illustrated by description of severalembodiments and while the illustrative embodiments are described indetail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in anyway limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additionaladvantages and modifications within the scope of the appended claimswill readily appear to those sufficed in the art. The invention in itsbroader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details,representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shownand described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such detailswithout departing from the spirit or scope of applicants' generalconcept.

1. A chambered removable bill cover comprising: a cap bill cover havingat least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the at least onechamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the cap billcover and a cap bill; and clips to attach the cap bill cover toremovably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill.
 2. The chamberedremovable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the cap bill cover is made of atransparent material.
 3. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1,wherein the cap bill cover is made of cardboard.
 4. The chamberedremovable bill cover of claim 3, wherein the cap bill cover is made ofcardboard and the at least one chamber is made of transparent plastic.5. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the clips areremovable clips that are configured to fasten around the cap bill coverand the cap bill, to affix the cap bill cover to the cap bill.
 6. Thechambered removable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the clips areintegrated with the cap bill cover, and the clips are configured tofasten around the cap bill cover and the cap bill, to affix the cap billcover to the cap bill.
 7. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1,wherein the cap bill cover further includes an image on the cap billcover.
 8. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the capbill cover further includes mounting locations that fold under a capbill.
 9. A chambered removable bill cover comprising: a cap bill coverhaving at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the atleast one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the capbill cover and a cap bill; and tabs to attach the cap bill cover toremovably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill.
 10. The chamberedremovable bill cover of claim 9, wherein the cap bill cover is made of atransparent material.
 11. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 9,wherein the cap bill cover is made of cardboard.
 12. The chamberedremovable bill cover of claim 11, wherein the cap bill cover is made ofcardboard and the at least one chamber is made of transparent plastic.13. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 9, wherein the cap billcover further includes an image on the cap bill cover.
 14. The chamberedremovable bill cover of claim 9, wherein the cap bill cover furtherincludes mounting locations that fold under a cap bill.